Blacksmith&#39;s tongs



' L M. BLACK, Sn.

BLAGKSMITHS TONGS. werucumu FILED MAR; 21 1921.

Patented June 20, 1922,

Jaw M. B/mvf, 5/1

WITNESS! M UNITED STATES JOHN BLACK, $3., 013 HARBTSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA;

:enecxsivrr'rn s Tones.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. BLACK, Sn, a citizen of the United StatesHarrisbur in the county of bauphin and State of ennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Blacksmiths Tongs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tools and particularly totongs used especially for the purpose of handling hot metal, the toolbeing especially designed for use in blacksmithing.

An object of the invention is the provision of a tool of the abovecharacter having interchangeable jaws, which permits of the use of asingle pair of tongs for handling a wide variety of objects, thus takingthe place of a number of tongs ordinarily used for this purpose.

Another object of tongs which may is the provision of a pair havinginterchangeable jaws, be easily and quickly removed and replaced andwhich, when in use, will be securely held against accidental removal.With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of tongsembodying the present invention. Figure 2 is an edge view of the jaw endof the tongs.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a view looking at the end of the tongs with the jawsremoved.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the jaw end of one of thepivoted tong members with the jaw removed.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the aw.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts, the invention comprises a pair ofpivoted members 10, having handles 11 and jaws 12, the said membersbeing pivotally connected together as shown at 13.

The invention resides in the provision of means for detachably securingthe jaws 12 to the pivoted members and for this purpose, each of thesaid members is provided Specification of Letters Patent.

residing at I 16, which tapers outwardly from the center of the tongs soas to provide a wide outer end and a relatively narrow inner end, theside walls of the wedge-shaped element being inclined or dove-tailed asshown at 17. The side edges 18 of the element 16 are also relativelyinclined so that the wedge-shaped element forms a lug which is designedto be received within a groove 19 carried by one of the jaws 12, thesaid groove being shaped similarly to the shape of the wedge-shapedelement or lug. This permits ofsecuring the jaws 12 in position bysliding them outwardly with respect to the elements or lugs 16, so thatthey may be securely held in position forcuse. Accidental removal of thejaws from the tool while the latter is in use is prevented, as thetighter an object is gripped between the jaws the more firmly the latterwill be forced outward and held in place. Owing to the acute characterof the side walls 17 of the elements or lugs 18, the latter may bereadily detached by a slight tap in a direction toward the center of thetool, for, while the jaws are frictionally held in position, thisfriction is released by a slight inward movement of the jaws.

While only one pair of jaws is shbwn in the drawings, jaws of differentsize and form are intended to be substituted so that the tongs may beadapted for handling objects of different character, the connectionbetween the jaws and pivoted members being similar in all cases. p

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. A tool comprising apair of p-ivotally connected handle members, a jaw carried by each ofsaid members and means including relatively inclined laterally extendingseats and wedge-shaped lugs extending from the seats for detachablyconnecting the jaws and members, whereby the latter are permittedmovement independently of the former in one direction only, to detachthe jaws from the pivoted member.

TENT OFFICE.

Patented June 20,1922. I Application filed March 21, 1921. Serial No.454,170.

2. A tool comprising a pair of pivotally connected handle members, a jawcarried h each of said members and means detachably connecting the jawsand members, whereby the latter are permitted movement independently ofthe" former in one direction onlypto detach the jaws from the pivotedmembers, said means comprising outwardly 7 and downwardly inclineddove-tail tapered lugs carried by the pivoted members and re- 10eeivable in similarly shaped grooves formed in the jaws.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JoHN M. BLACK, s

